Martís Release New Phone App

May 21, 2013

MIAMI – The Office of Cuba Broadcasting has released a new smartphone application that makes accessing accurate news and information easier for Cubans, who live in one of the least free press environments in the world. The app, which is available for iPhone and Android phones and tablets, features breaking news alerts, video and audio on demand, easy-to-share photos and text, and the ability to download and store content.

“It was a logical step, our mobile site traffic has grown 1,400 percent since this time last year,” said Office of Cuba Broadcasting Director Carlos García-Pérez. ”This app brings us closer than ever to our audience in Cuba.”

Additionally, the free app will be useful in getting information off the island. “We have built in the capacity for audiences in Cuba and the diaspora to share pictures and videos with the Martís and the world,” said Natalia Crujeiras Director of Digital Media for the Martís.

“The use of mobile phones to access news is rapidly growing in Cuba,” said Will Sullivan, Mobile Product Lead for BBG’s Office of Digital & Design Innovation. “Access to the Internet in Cuba via landlines or Wi-Fi is extremely restricted, but more than two million people on the island own cellphones. We’re thrilled to have enabled this technology to help the Martís reach new audiences.”